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Learning Hebrew at Washington Hebrew
Congregation’s Religious School
Introduction to Hebrew:
Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, our students commence
their Hebrew learning journey in 2nd grade
with “Hebrew Exposure.” Each Sunday, for approximately 20
minutes, students learn about Hebrew letters and sounds. They
do this through games, stories and art as well as through
movement and song. By exposing students to the Hebrew letters
and some of their different sounds, we wet their appetites for
what is to come in 3rd grade. We believe that this
exposure heightens their interest and prepares them by setting a
basic foundation.
Formal Hebrew instruction begins in 3rd grade.
For the first time, students have a Judaic Studies class and a
Hebrew class, thus splitting their morning between the two
“periods.” Each period lasts an hour, and sandwiched into the
middle for approximately 20 minutes is music.
The 3rd
grade Hebrew curriculum focuses entirely on learning to decode
the Hebrew letters and vowels. Each week students are
introduced to a new letter, while previous letters are
reviewed.
During Judaic Studies the Hebrew letters are reinforced each
week through a curriculum called “Jewish Values from Aleph to
Tav.” Students revisit the letters they have learned as each
Hebrew letter is associated with a Jewish value, holiday or
concept.
Our Hebrew Curriculum:
Once
students are able to decode the Hebrew letters and vowels (by 4th
grade), they begin our Mitkadem program. The Mitkadem
program is a self-paced, child-centered Hebrew curriculum
constructed of 23 ramot (levels). Students work
independently or with another student at a similar level.
Working through one ramah (level) at a time, students
progress once they have mastered the content of their ramah.
The ramot focus on specific prayers from our Reform
worship services.
Mitkadem's
self-paced and child-centered approach allows each student to
achieve according to their own ability and teachers are able to
adjust the program according to each child’s abilities.
In a Mitkadem
classroom, the teacher becomes more of a resource and
facilitator for students' self-directed Hebrew learning. The
administrators keep records of student progress. Teachers use
assessments in order to determine what kind of help each student
needs in order to progress. Teachers manages a classroom of
students that are all working at a variety of different paces
and levels, encouraging each one and consciously building
classroom community through whole-class activities to frame each
lesson.
In
addition to helping our students refine their reading skills and
connect to our liturgy, Mitkadem has enabled our school
leadership to build individual relationships with each of our
students, celebrating in their progress and encouraging them in
their efforts.
In order to progress to a new ramah,
students must read aloud to Rabbi Joui Hessel, Stephanie Tankel,
Molly Glazer or another available clergy member. We are proud
to say that as a direct result of this system, students have the
opportunity to connect with our school leadership, thus creating
a warmer, more supportive and welcoming atmosphere for each of
the children. It is these personal relationships which
contribute to our school’s unique sense of warmth and community!
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